In the middle of the night, a rough, relentless cough shook me awake. It was deep, grating, and refused to stop. Probably just a cold.

My lungs have always been sensitive, and whenever I catch even the mildest bug, it triggers these awful coughing fits. After a long day and the crisp mountain air, it wasn’t exactly shocking.

“Cough, cough…” I clutched my throat, the irritation making it feel like something sharp was lodged inside.

Even after ...